Lemonade became Beyoncé’s visual album with an accompanying film in 2016.
The album was released on April 23, 2016, after the premiere of its hour-long film on HBO. Its music and visuals explore themes including betrayal, grief, anger, reconciliation, Black identity, family, and resilience. The project draws on poetry by Warsan Shire and features imagery connected to African American history and culture.
Lemonade includes songs such as “Formation,” “Sorry,” “Hold Up,” and “Freedom.” It received widespread critical acclaim and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 59th Grammy Awards.
The title is not a reference to Beyoncé’s 2013 self-titled visual album, although both projects combine music and film. Lemonade is especially associated with its HBO premiere and its highly unified narrative structure.